User-targeted ad insertion in streaming media

Abstract

Systems and apparatus for splicing a generic ad into a streaming media broadcast are provided when a user ad is not available. A splicer operates to receive streaming media on a primary channel, receive the user ad from a user ad server on a first channel, receive the generic ad from a generic ad server via a multicast address on a second channel, splice the user ad on the first channel into a streamed programming, splice the generic ad on the second channel into the streamed programming, and transmit the streamed programming into which ads have been spliced to a resulting channel. The generic ad server operates to transmit the generic ad to the multicast address. The user ad server operates to transmit the user ad over the first channel. The resulting channel operates to output the streamed programming.

The invention claimed is: 
     
       1. A method of operating a media splicer, the method comprising:
 detecting an insertion point in a media stream and responsively requesting insertion content from a user advertisement content server for insertion into the media stream; 
 if the user advertisement content server has user-targeted advertisement content available for a user, receiving the user-targeted advertisement content on a first insertion channel from the user advertisement content server as the insertion content for insertion into the media stream; 
 if the user advertisement content server does not have the user-targeted advertisement content available, receiving first generic advertisement content on the first insertion channel from the user advertisement content server as the insertion content for insertion into the media stream, wherein the user advertisement content server is configured to receive the first generic advertisement content from a generic advertisement content server by joining a multicast address to which the generic advertisement content server transmits generic advertisement content; 
 if the user advertisement content server does not respond to the request for the insertion content within a specified time period, joining the multicast address to receive second generic advertisement content on a second insertion channel from the generic advertisement content server as the insertion content for insertion into the media stream; and 
 splicing the insertion content into the media stream at the insertion point and outputting the media stream with the insertion content spliced in for transmission to the user. 
 
     
     
       2. The method of  claim 1  wherein the user-targeted advertisement content received from the user advertisement content server is targeted to the user based on criteria about the user. 
     
     
       3. The method of  claim 1  wherein the user advertisement content server is configured to direct the media splicer to join the multicast address to receive the second generic advertisement content from the generic advertisement content server. 
     
     
       4. The method of  claim 1  wherein the specified time period is determined such that time elapsed from the insertion point to when the insertion content is delivered to the user does not exceed a restriction on dead air time. 
     
     
       5. The method of  claim 1  wherein the specified time period is determined such that time elapsed from the insertion point to when the insertion content is delivered to the user does not exceed a service level agreement. 
     
     
       6. The method of  claim 1  wherein the specified time period is determined such that time elapsed from the insertion point to when the insertion content is delivered to the user does not exceed three seconds. 
     
     
       7. A media splicer comprising:
 a processor and a memory, the media splicer configured to:
 detect an insertion point in a media stream and responsively request insertion content from a user advertisement content server for insertion into the media stream; 
 if the user advertisement content server has user-targeted advertisement content available for a user, receive the user-targeted advertisement content on a first insertion channel from the user advertisement content server as the insertion content for insertion into the media stream; 
 if the user advertisement content server does not have the user-targeted advertisement content available, receive first generic advertisement content on the first insertion channel from the user advertisement content server as the insertion content for insertion into the media stream, wherein the user advertisement content server is configured to receive the first generic advertisement content from a generic advertisement content server by joining a multicast address to which the generic advertisement content server transmits generic advertisement content; 
 if the user advertisement content server does not respond to the request for the insertion content within a specified time period, join the multicast address to receive second generic advertisement content on a second insertion channel from the generic advertisement content server as the insertion content for insertion into the media stream; and 
 splice the insertion content into the media stream at the insertion point and output the media stream with the insertion content spliced in for transmission to the user. 
 
 
     
     
       8. The media splicer of  claim 7  wherein the user-targeted advertisement content received from the user advertisement content server is targeted to the user based on criteria about the user. 
     
     
       9. The media splicer of  claim 7  wherein the user advertisement content server is configured to direct the media splicer to join the multicast address to receive the second generic advertisement content from the generic advertisement content server. 
     
     
       10. The media splicer of  claim 7  wherein the specified time period is determined such that time elapsed from the insertion point to when the insertion content is delivered to the user does not exceed a restriction on dead air time. 
     
     
       11. The media splicer of  claim 7  wherein the specified time period is determined such that time elapsed from the insertion point to when the insertion content is delivered to the user does not exceed a service level agreement. 
     
     
       12. The media splicer of  claim 7  wherein the specified time period is determined such that time elapsed from the insertion point to when the insertion content is delivered to the user does not exceed three seconds.